Levani Vosasi

Baz Suamili and Levani Vosasi – the Polynesian two thirds of Seva Hifi, have both been involved in the Auckland music scene for over a decade. Baz, who started by playing with bands in South Auckland, also has a love of spoken word, Polynesian & reggae rhythms, the 80s, and drums. Levani is a story-teller and percussion spirit teacher. He comes from an Ethiopian Fijian family of first rhythm- Vosasi. Together they form the Polynesian element of Seva Hifi – a unique voice only found in modern day Aotearoa.

Baz Suamili

In  Levani’s own words: “My first music experience was the sound of nature, then I hear the radio. After the radio I hear the sound of people in the villages singing, that was my first experience with music”
Baz: “I have lived and breathed music for most of my life.  Since the age of five, I’ve drummed on everything from pots and pans to more recently, the latest electronic drum machines.”
The third element of the Seva family is producer Gmuva -  a Lebanese Kiwi producer and musician. Originally from Dunedin, he grew up around a music culture that was awash with punk and reggae. Playing in University punk-funk bands, and helping to set up Dunedin’s first venue with turntables and a club soundsystem, he soon developed a taste for beats and production.
“My love for music stems from environment and family sharing all shades of political music growing up. We were always surrounded by the music of revolution and also the get down. My family, being Lebanese always instilled in me a purpose for music. I understood then that the task was a serious one.”

Gmuva

Below is a spoken word performance from Baz at a recent workshop with visiting poets Akala and Anthony Anaxagorou from Hip Hop Shakespeare, and a little studio visit video from Levani.

Seva Hifi releases it’s first single 7″ entitled “Pressures of Life” April 2012. Expect an album following of psychedelic space-funk from the Pacific, with conscious Polynesian soul & drums. Shot.

In the spirit of goodwill for this day, please enjoy a number of Sugarlicks tracks from over the last ten years, now enabled for online download here.

Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In that year, representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs signed what is regarded as New Zealand’s founding document. Indigenous Maori People in NZ however have not had their sovereign rights respected since the signing of the partnership. Instead colonial imperialism, as with much of the western world, has been the order of the day. The Treaty of Waitangi has two texts, one Maori and one English. The English text is not an exact translation of the Maori text. Despite the problems caused by the different versions, both represent an agreement in which Maori gave the Crown rights to govern and to develop British settlement, while the Crown guaranteed Maori full sovereign protection of their interests and status, and full citizenship rights. Tino Rangatiratanga (full sovereignty) has not ever been fully respected by the Crown.

In the Hamra area – home of the global youth, the University minds and the bohemian nightlife set – voices are getting heard by spraying & painting their messages on the walls.

Often the message is either political (“think Beirut, think secular”), or touched with a sense of humour as below …. Hamra walls have become a canvas for street thought, conversation and political messages. Funny, desperate, profound, informed or just plain fun … the walls speak!

Street art around Hamra has become so popular, that it even now has a facebook page, as well as a number of dedicated blog sites – on typography, photos of the natural collage that tearing posters and continual pasting creates, as well as a recent publication on the topic. The below image is from one particular blog.

Militias in Beirut used to paint walls with their emblems during the civil war, marking their territories with signs and symbols.

Today the bullet strewn buildings are still in evidence, but the spray can has replaced the machine gun for a time, and “bombing” has taken on its grafitti meaning at present.

The following image is also from the above blog, and translated as or “Soon: The Union of the Arab People”, it was painted over the very next day.

Whatever the messages, one thing is for sure – Beirut city lives, and has a vibrant urban youth voice that is making itself known on the inner city streets … of special note also is the Islamic influenced Wild Style popping up – a homage to the original NYC train art graf styles …

And sometimes the montage of old posters, and old buildings fixtures is enough in itself to become “art”.

Until next time, Beirut city we love you.

The photo shoot for the cover was arranged with Greg Riwai, and the hands involved belonged to (teenagers now) Indigo, Maya, Isaac & Hannah. Shot in the playground at Kowhai Intermediate Sandringham.

Since 2001, the label has gone on to release 15 albums around the world, and 6 well received 12″ vinyl singles. Look out for a new release and 7″ single early 2012. Peace to all the music-makers, funksters, family and supporters over the last ten years … more to come.

In 2012 Sugarlicks Records New Zealand releases our first album for over five years. Seva Hifi features the remarkable song-writing talent of Baz Suamili – a soul inspired, deep brother, with visions of a connected, free and harmonious World. An expression that finds its natural home within the Seva trio that also includes producer and label founder Gmuva, and the Fijian prince of percussion Levani Vosasi.
The album also includes some of the extended family of Pacific soul visionaries – including Isaac Aesili, Nat Rose, Soulsista Aotearoa, Manuel Bundy, Spencer Fusimalohi & Xiyao Cheng.

In Baz’s own words: “I have lived and breathed music for most of my life.  Since the age of five, I’ve drummed on everything from pots and pans to more recently, the latest electronic drum machines.  As the youngest of five children, I grew up in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert.  I currently live in South Auckland where my passion for music really took off.  As with a lot of pacific island families, I first discovered the drums and singing at my local Ekalesia Church and my Fathers family band (Tuleki brothers).  I was the lead drummer and back up vocalist up until my early teens.

The vision of this album is to have a universal appeal, not only to Niueans but to other cultures.  Some tracks will also relate to old and young people.  It supports diversity with a positive message to connect and inspire hope for individuals and families.  Music has always been a big part of my life and extended family.  Traditional get togethers were loud and spontaneous using our own ingenuity for example, creating sounds on cabin bread tins to string guitars.  I believe our distinctive sound has potential for a wider international market.  This would raise the profile of Niue, NZ and the pacific islands and put us further on the map…”

Our expression of music is to Move, Inspire, Encourage, Show diversity, Support our community and to impact lives worldwide. 2012 is when we will share our music with the World, but for now, an intro. Shot.

For all Seva Hifi updates keep an eye on – http://flavors.me/seva_hifi

The project involves aspiring artists and performers from Auckland’s diverse communities, working with the best of contemporary UK talent, to collaborate, create and celebrate. It includes capacity building creative workshops, online & face to face collaborations, as well as master-classes in creativity.
Guests this year include Pacific Renaissance icon Rosanna Raymond , Akala and the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company and Oliver Wayman from the UK Charity Bottletop – who fund ethical fashion trade in Brazil and Africa with such projects as the collaborative Sound Effects series. The Camden Roundhouse have also joined the programme for a UK meets NZ indie producer and band EP. All tracks recorded in Redbull studios in NZ and at the Roundhouse – with bands meeting each other via skype and one lot in one country handing over half a recorded track to another lot on the other side of the planet, who will then have a session to write and record either the rhythm track or vocals and melody to complete the track.

Well, we know that musical barriers have already broken down, replaced really by the combined Global creative shift. So sharing of knowledge between established and emerging artists across barriers, as in projects such as PIYN, is a rewarding and challenging experience (usually at the same time).
The full programme will be loaded later in April on the PIYN blog. If you live in Auckland or are visiting during May and July, get along to one of the sessions. Shot.

The Palestinian Intafada is an ongoing symbol of resistance, for a people so wrongly treated from 1948 onwards. Even Christian Lebanese are quite aware of the fact that without the Hezbollah resistance in the South, there would be no peace currently in Lebanon. The Zionist forces within Israel and internationally would simply take whatever they could from the indigenous population – they seem to simply have no heart or empathy.

Hip Hop language and symbology is of course now global, and is represented everywhere, including West Beirut. From graffiti to poster art the colours are evident, and one of the finest proponents of Arabic Hip Hop Rayess Bek, has his own unique style plastered on the city streets.

Architecture, in its various stages of repair and dis-use, also provides a visually stunning backdrop to a city perpetually in stages of renewal, rebuild & destruction. Beirut, one day you will be left to your own future, inshallah…

and there is of course poetry, like the steps decorated with Gibran’s words in Ashrafieh, and of course always a little humour.

Here is a copy of a Redbull studios radio show we did in Auckland a while back … enjoy! Features Issac Aesili, Nat Rose & Maya from Ghost Tones.

The below video is from one-time Auckland pop hip hop crew Fat Monks, with their witty homage to organ legend Jimmy Smith. The independent group recorded their album at Sugarlicks Studios a few years back.
The track features a verse from Tony McClean, the teacher who died a little over two years ago now in a tragic accident on Mangatepopo River, where he was taking his students on a rafting trip. Tony tied himself to Tom Hsu, a disabled student of his, in order to try to save him, but in vain, as both were swept away. It is clear that Tony would have made it if he had just gone alone.

Tony is a true hero, and was named as one of the New Zealanders of the Year in 2008.
I woke up remembering Tony today, not sure why.